“We need to discuss the escort schedule and route. Excuse me for a moment, Your Grace.”
“…”
Aslan sent a meaningful glance.
The Northern Archduke, understanding this, nodded and rose from his seat without saying a word.
It was clear that my presence here wouldn’t greatly help in persuading Merilda.
In fact, trying to protect her too much might just be a hindrance.
With tears in his eyes, the Archduke rose from his seat.
‘I’m so overwhelmed.’
The Archduke, moving to a nearby table, glared intensely.
Aslan sighed deeply and addressed Merilda, who was sitting across from him, focused on her meal without speaking.
“Princess, would you cooperate?”
“…Hmph.”
Although she could hear him, Merilda responded with a dismissive snort and continued eating, showing no regard for Aslan.
Charlotte and Julia, itching to intervene, were trembling with frustration.
This princess is completely spoiled…!
“Princess, while we respect your right to refuse, you could at least listen before rejecting…”
“Fine. I’ll listen.”
“…”
As soon as Yuri chimed in, Merilda abruptly looked up.
Her eyes sparkled with a strong focus as she fixed her gaze on Yuri.
The sudden change in attitude left Charlotte and Julia stunned.
“This is unbelievable. That girl…”
“Charlotte! Shh! Quiet…!”
Julia quickly shut Charlotte’s mouth, realizing she was about to let slip sensitive information.
We must use Yuri’s beauty to persuade the princess!
‘But isn’t this deceiving?’
Julia hesitated for a moment.
She had previously stated that she wouldn’t use deceptive methods on the Archduke.
So, wasn’t it wrong to trick the princess into thinking Yuri was a man?
‘Ah! It’s not us deceiving her, but her deceiving herself, so it should be fine!’
We never explicitly said Yuri was a man, did we?
The princess just assumed that on her own!
So there shouldn’t be any problem! With this Aslan-like reasoning, Julia convinced herself.
“Please don’t misunderstand, Count. I’m here because I’m hungry, not to hear about escort plans. I have no intention of fleeing Ester due to the Monster Wave in the future.”
“Fleeing? What are you singing about?”
“That’s not it, Charlotte…”
Merilda was making a strong statement.
While Yuri might sway her a little, it was already decided that she wouldn’t leave Ester.
Her expression seemed to say that she would never change her mind!
“If you stay here, the soldiers will find it hard to focus on the fight. As long as there’s a risk to you, everyone will remain anxious.”
“Hmph. What are you suggesting? They should overcome it. There are families of soldiers left in Ester too. Should I worry while their families don’t? That can’t be right. It’s all just excuses.”
“…”
Aslan was rebutted.
He swallowed the bitter taste and took a deep breath.
Merilda wasn’t just a spoiled child without reason.
Shallow arguments wouldn’t sway her.
‘Merilda simply dislikes being treated like an idol.’
Even though the entire city treats Merilda like an idol, whether she wants it is another matter.
What Merilda wants isn’t to be an idol.
“As someone who will become a ruler in the future, you can’t abandon your people and flee. If the danger is insignificant, then even more so!”
“…”
What Merilda wants to become is a ruler.
Not someone who avoids danger, but someone who faces it head-on and stands with her people.
How should this discrepancy be resolved?
After some thought, Aslan decided to try a new tactic.
“Hah. So you thought it was about fleeing.”
“…Yes?”
“I thought a sharp lady like you would have realized by now. It seems you haven’t grasped the real significance of the evacuation.”
“Real significance? What significance is there! Besides the disgraceful fleeing, what other meaning could there be…!”
Merilda reacted strongly to Aslan shaking his head.
Yes, that reaction. At first, she pretended not to care and showed disinterest.
But now that her pride was touched, Merilda could no longer escape the conversation.
“Do you really not understand?”
“Ha! Let’s hear it! It’s probably just some trivial talk anyway!”
“Every year, Ester experiences a Monster Wave. During this period, one must be vigilant, worrying about when monsters might climb the walls or create holes to enter.”
“I know that too.”
“Calming the people’s anxiety is truly what a ruler must do, isn’t it? The Archduke has sent the succession candidates to the capital not just for evacuation but for another hidden purpose. That purpose is education.”
“…?”
Education? Studying?
What’s that supposed to mean?
Merilda tilted her head in confusion.
“His Majesty the Archduke wanted you to focus on your studies during the evacuation period, with the rich educational environment of the capital. Am I right, Your Grace?”
“Y-Yes! That’s right! Exactly!”
The Northern Archduke nodded in surprise.
Aslan discreetly smiled with satisfaction.
He had promised not to use deceitful tactics on the Archduke, but by reaching an agreement with him, was it not a form of deceit?
Of course, the Archduke was merely sending the candidates to avoid a potential massacre.
But now, an additional purpose for the evacuation had emerged.
“What, what!? Dad! You never said that!”
“What, what!? Father! You never said that!”
“It seems he hoped you would realize it on your own.”
“But I can study in Ester too! Do you think of Ester as a rural backwater? We have access to specialized magic education here as well. Why must I go all the way to the capital?”
“I have never underestimated Ester. Look at these children here. They were commoners with talents for necromancy and dark knights. Does Ester provide education tailored to such unique talents?”
“Th-that’s… no, it doesn’t…”
“If you had a rare and unique talent, you might never discover it. But the capital is well-equipped to nurture all talents. If evacuation was the only goal, a southern region not far from Ester would have sufficed. But it seems the Archduke chose the capital because he suspected you might have hidden talents.”
Merilda’s eyes began to waver.
She suddenly looked at her father with a questioning gaze, as if asking, “Dad, was that really your intention in sending me to the capital?”
The Archduke, with his eyes also wavering, nodded with a steely expression.
‘So Dad had such grand intentions…!’
Merilda’s mouth dropped open in shock.
For instance, if she had the talent for barrier magic, she could hone that talent and be of great help in stopping the Monster Wave.
Until now, soldiers had to stay awake and watch over the walls, but if there was a barrier mage on standby, that wouldn’t be necessary.
Dad sent her to the capital considering even such possibilities!
She didn’t know and just had fun every time she went to the capital!
Filled with immense guilt, Merilda’s face soon turned to tears.
“Sniff, sniff…!”
“Merilda! What’s wrong?!”
“I’m sorry, Dad! I thought you sent me away during the Monster Waves just because you loved me too much and wanted me to run away! I thought it was just making a fuss over nothing! I thought you were acting foolishly! I’m sorry for not realizing you had such grand intentions!”
“Y-yes, that’s right.”
Merilda, now sobbing uncontrollably, ran to the Northern Archduke and hugged him.
The Archduke desperately maintained a calm facade and patted her back.
Although he was indeed making a fuss and seemed foolish when it came to matters involving his daughter…
That was now in the past.
The Archduke had continuously sent his youngest daughter to the capital to discover and develop her potential to aid in defending against the Monster Wave.
From today onward, it was decided that this was his intention.
“I want to go to the capital… I want to study hard… I’m useless as I am now. So I’ll develop my abilities and become a ruler who will definitely help Ester…!”
“Ha, hahaha! That’s the spirit! You finally understand my true intentions, Merilda!”
The Northern Duke forced a hearty laugh.
The Archduke laughed heartily, and then glared sharply at Aslan.
What if Merilda finds out the truth later?
Aslan had taken on the task of persuading Merilda, only to drop a bombshell.
‘You made me lie to Merilda. What a despicable person. But in the end, Merilda is being sent to the capital…’
I’ll forgive you, since the mission was accomplished.
The Archduke was gritting his teeth.
At that moment, the door burst open, and a soldier rushed in urgently.
“Your Grace! A large number of monsters have appeared near the walls!”
“What!? I thought they were still far from arriving!”
“They are flying monsters! The monsters are approaching by air!”
“That can’t be! Flying monsters should have been extinct…!”
The Northern Archduke’s eyes widened in shock. The banquet hall was instantly thrown into chaos.
